Mike MacIntyre says CSU has an advantage over Buffs in Showdown

Continuity bodes well for Rams in Denver on Sunday

Coach Mike MacIntyre said Colorado State holds an advantage over his Colorado Buffaloes in at least one way going into his first Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sunday.

The majority of the Colorado State coaching staff and players have been together for a season and have a feel for each other -- a chemistry of sorts -- while most of the Buffs will be playing their first game in a new system for a new coaching staff.

MacIntyre is trying to become just the second CU head coach in the past 15 coaches to win his debut game with the Buffs. His counterpart, CSU coach Jim McElwain won his debut against the Buffs last season.

"I think it would definitely give them an advantage," MacIntyre said. "...Continuity is always good."

The first weekly press luncheon of the season Monday was MacIntyre's sixth press conference since he was hired in December. He has also had several informal media roundtables and dozens of post-practice interviews.

"You've done all this work. Now you want to see them play," MacIntyre said.

While MacIntyre believes the continuity on the CSU side is a big plus for the Rams, he said that advantage is mitigated somewhat by the fact that most of the CU coaching staff was together last year at San Jose State and that team played CSU and beat the Rams.

He said that familiarity works both ways.

"I think it helps, but it helps them also," MacIntyre said.

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Starting quarterback Connor Wood and senior linebacker Paul Vigo, two of the team's six captains, joined MacIntyre in the Flatirons Club on the west side of Folsom Field. Both players said the 22-17 loss to the Rams last season has stuck wth them for a year and they are constantly reminded of it.

"The big L has been looming over our heads for almost a year now," Wood said.

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